Supporting students wholly, 360-degree support is a priority of our educational program. The components that make up the full support services at ACE Leadership are: the Student Support Team, School Based Health Center, Center for Working Families, Special Education Services, English Language Learner Services and the Advisory Program. Our Student Supports are guiding by these underlying philosophies:

• Positive Youth Development
• From graduation through transitioning to adulthood
• High expectations require high levels of support (social/emotional/academic/health)

Below are some key components to the Student Supports provided at ACE Leadership. Please contact Tori Stephens-Shauger if you have any questions regarding Student Support.

ACE Leadership Advisory Overview

Advisory at ACE Leadership is the staging area for school culture and academic success. It is our daily Tool Box Meeting to ensure that students are ready to do their best work each day.

School Culture and Advisory at its Core:

The ACE Leadership three C’s: Collaboration, Communication, Client Driven

• Student Growth, Physical fitness, Nutrition and Health (i.e. dealing with their responsibilities, identifying pressures and accessing supports, reaching their maximum potential, meeting high expectations, learn from breakdowns, celebrate successes, being healthy physically, intellectually, and emotionally)
• School Culture (i.e. mentorship between students and adults, produce plans collaboratively with those who will do the work, reveal and remove constraints on planned tasks as a team, make reliable promises, make connections to and take responsibility for all parts of the school)
• Safety: Safety training, as a part of school and classroom culture; physical*, emotional, and mental health; dress code, Personal Protection Equipment; drug and alcohol free
• Student Voice (i.e. how students are involved in decision making at the school)
• Transition (i.e. IEP/504/ELL support, ACE career choice, entering high school, graduation, plan in greater detail as you get closer to doing the work)
• Advocacy (i.e. by the student, with the student, and for the student)
• Support and Preparation (i.e. buddy system, gateway/exhibition support, mentorship)

Structure:

• Family meetings are held at least once per trimester*
• Advisees stay with their Advisor until graduation. (this may not be the case as the school grows and grades are added)
• Heterogeneous grouping (age, grade, gender, ability, language, etc.)
• School wide Tool Box meetings will be held once a week during a shortened Advisory meeting
• This class will earn credit

Program:

• The Advisor is the primary contact for parents, families, caregivers, and students as well as the connection for students with the supports throughout the school
• Advisory is a place where relationships are of primary importance, with both the family and the student
• Advisory meets for at least one hour at the beginning of every day
• Physical Education and Health standards are covered in this class over four years
• Modules Basic Safety and Introduction to Materials Handling will be taught from the NCCER Core Curriculum
• Bi-weekly progress checks. This is a space for some academic support (i.e. reading, tutorial, organizational support)
• Advisor is the hub of developing school culture

*Family Meetings:

Advisors are the primary adult responsible for scheduling and facilitating family meetings though other staff may be in attendance. Ideally, student will lead their family meetings, which are held at least each trimester. These meetings could be held more often, but when scheduled are required for the student and family to attend. The advisor should be present for or followed up with about any meeting related to their advisee. This includes celebration of success, disciplinary issues, social/emotional issues, or academic support discussions.

• ACE Leadership School Based Health Center Overview (SBHC)
• The development of a comprehensive school-based health center (SBHC) is central to our support concept.

Anticipated components of the SBHC Program:

• Comprehensive primary and behavioral health care services
• Services that span the day and evening programs at ACE Leadership
• Health education / self care/ wellness education for students and staff
• Workplace safety education for students and staff
• Collaboration with CWF, Student Support Team, Director of Student Supports, Teachers and Advisors
• Referral for community based services as needed
• Nutrition Education Consultant
• Flexible for growth and response to student needs from year to year
• A school health advisory committee (SHAC) to guide the SBHC development

ACE Leadership Student Support Team

At ACE Leadership, we ask students to take big risks both academically and personally. High expectations require high levels of support, thus building a supportive community is important. At ACE Leadership, the Student Support Team takes the form of full-time Clinical Social Workers and the Director of Student Support who are available to students, families, and staff. Any student, parent or community member is welcome to visit with the Student Support Team. Specific Activities and Responsibilities for the Student Support Team:

• Supporting Special Education Students
• Supporting staff as Advisors and Teachers to create positive relationships with students and families
• Supporting Positive Youth Development practice
• School Culture
• Collaborating with community supports for students and families
• Supporting individual students
• Collaborating with Families to support their child
• Facilitating Advisory curriculum as needed
• Assisting in disciplinary issues and proactive practices to eliminate disciplinary issues
• Providing support during family meetings
• Peer Mediation and Social Justice
• Running Groups addressing student needs
• Co-facilitates advisories as needed